Memoirs of a Kunoichi
by The Sky Pirate Girl
Summary: Naruto in a Memoirs of a Geisha style, with Sakura as Sayuri and Kakashi as the Chairman.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**: There is a ninety percent chance that you will die a lot earlier than most of the people.

This is the first thing your sensei at the shinobi arts tells you. Are you prepared?

I do not fear death. It has already taken away everything that I have held dear. First my sister,Ino - by illness. Then most of my village- by force. By _ninja_. No, death has become but a familiar face, a frequent visitor in my village. A civilian village.

You may wonder now, how can this be a tale of a kunoichi's life, a tale of shinobi and war and brute force. Here is the unheard truth: I was not born to become a kunoichi. I was born to become a florist. A family business, you see.

We were eight when one morning our village was attacked by a group of rouge ninja who, against only a handful of peasants who only knew how to till the fields, to hunt deer and rabbits and fish, easily conquered the village. Any chance of survival would have been gone, had not my father given shelter to a traveling man names Jiraiya the night before. Already too late for our father, the famous sannin told my mother me to hide inside the cupboard. The sound of clashing metal, shuriken though I did not know it then, of my mother's quiet sobs, of unleashed jutsus and battle cries cut at my heart at that moment and was to be sealed inside it forevermore.

Hours passed before we saw the light again - the light of the moon - and Jiraiya's tired but smiling face. It was not a real smile - he simply did not want to frighten us, what with his bloody, torn clothes, scars and bleeding wounds. Sound had fled before the mighty force of this most legendary of men. And my father had thought him for a ragged traveler.

During the funeral of the dead I noticed my mother and our savior discuss something. I did not know what it was but an hour later my mother was hugging me and I were off on Jiraiya's back, on our way to a village called Konoha. She told me she could not afford to take care for us now that our father was dead. We were almost destitute even before the destruction of the village. Who would afford to buy flowers? The fields had died by the miasma of some of the jutsus. The game had fled far away by the screams of the people.

Still, that did not stop me from screaming and kicking and demanding to be returned _home_. Yet, there was no home - what was home without a parent that would await us there?

A day and a night we traveled when weary from all that we had endured, we were both lulled to sleep by the man's easy going nature and ridiculous stories.

"Tsunade..." was the first word I heard when I woke up.

"Alright. I will take her in. Hinata can share a room with them. What is two more throats to feed, after all?" Brief silence. A sigh. "You know me too well, Jiraya."

"I have known you only for your whole life, Tsunade-hime." I could hear Jiraiya's smile. I cracked one eye open and I saw that I was on the floor near the fire.

"She is already awake," she stated.

"Sakura-chan," Jiraiya turned to me.

"I heard," I said quietly. He grinned awkwardly and scratched the back of his neck.

"Yes, you are to stay in Tsunade-san's residence. You see, she is a trusted friend and an influent enough person to register you into the Academy. You will need a profession, later in life..."

"If they have enough potential, Jiraiya. I cannot easily make a shinobi out of a flower girl."

"Shinobi?" I repeated fearfully.

"Kunoichi. Ninja. Spies, warriors who use their bodies in order to protect the village." Konoha. What was Konoha to me? Was I to become of the very same kin that destroyed my home for what it was? "Even if you are good enough to become one, there is a ninety percent chance that you will die a lot earlier than most of the people."

Jiraiya waved his arms uselessly.

"Tsu-Tsunade! Sakura-chan, don't mind her - she's occasionally a meanie because of the lack of s-"

Tsunade kicked him and he flew into the end of the room.

"Jiraiya!" she said indignantly before turning to me once more.

"I do not fear death," I simply said. She smirked.

"Then there is a chance that you will succeed."

Later, as morning turned into noon, I was introduced to the rest of the people in Tsunade's residence - almost as big as a castle from one of my picture books.

Her lover died before she could have children and she always took in those who had no parents, Jiraiya explained to me privately before he departed. I met Hinata, Naruto, Lee and Sasuke. The boys were orphans and Hinata's parents had just abandoned her because she wasn't genius like the rest of her family. After introducing us to each other, Tsunade stayed for a small amount of time and went to fill some papers.

I was still very skittish and I could hardly talk to anybody but the blond boy, Naruto, turned out a very cheerful and sunny person and by night time, he managed to make me enough irritated to hit him. How would I know that this would later turn out to be my best friend?

I liked Hinata at once. She was gentle and pretty and kind and knew not to pry into my story. After a small talk we went to bed. I could not fall asleep.

"How could she do this to me?" I wondered out loud.

" Your family sold you to this house. You wouldn't have been here otherwise. You must stay strong. Don't let them weaken you only because they don't want you."

"You are so strong, Hinata-chan," I marveled. "I am not like you."

The room was silent for a while, before the other girl said:

" I wasn't originally like that either. It was Naruto-kun who inspired my resolve. He is a wonderful boy..."

There was a sudden clash from outside and then shouts.

"What was that?" I asked, frightened.

"Temari. She had been here the longest. You don't want to be in her way - she is not a very good person."

"Why?" I dumbly asked.

"Her brother went mad and killed their whole family. Tsunade found her during one of her travels." I could not find a reply to that. Soon, Hinata-chan continued. "She was on a mission - she takes really high-leveled ones. Only As and Bs. Always successful. She is a great help for the income of this house. Especially since Tsunade-sama hasn't been much of a help recently - she drinks a lot and gambles."

I noticed that for all of her quietness and passive nature, this girl was very well informed about all that proceeded in this residence.I turned to my other side so that I would face the wall and let Hinata-chan think I had fallen asleep.

I marveled at how the world was so fickle and insecure. Not for the first time I wished I was Ino, who had always been the stronger and more adaptive.

I did not see Temari on the next day - she had gone to another mission.

I do not remember much of my first days with Tsunade-sama. I remember only that she tested me for any chakra and after she saw that I had some, she enrolled me into the Academy. I went there every morning with Hinata and the boys and we returned every afternoon.

I could say that I had some exceptional talent, but I would be lying. Naruto had talent, as did Sasuke. I was just mediocre. I could say that I found acceptance there, some sort of love and understanding, but I would again be lying. I did not look for it. And while Tsunade-sama was a brilliant woman who loved having us around, she was toughened by loss and grief; and I was like a cold flame to the rest of the world. Too young an age for such coldness, I see now, as I look back.

Then fate sent me Temari. How did she end up hating me the way she did, I do not know. Had it been a simple dislike, I would have understood, but from the first moment she saw me in Tsunade-sama's residence...

"This is the new arrival?" she asked haughtily.

"Yes, Temari. Be kind to her please," Tsunade-sama warned.

"Nah, baa-san, you're too optimistic," Naruto said. "How can she be anything but a bi-"

"NARUTO!"

"Sorry!"

Temari did not appear to be listening though - her eyes were burning into me. Aqua green against leaf.

We were meant to be against one another like savage dogs.

On the next day, Tsunade-sama permitted Hinata to show me around Konoha.


	2. Chapter 2

**How the story was to develop (if anyone wants to write it, I really wouldn't mind but in this case, I want to be informed ).**

Naruto and Sakura talk (before she meets Temari) - he tells her how he is actually the son of the previous Hokage and he would become the next one. Sasuke is silent, Sakura is interested in him but she likes Naruto more especially after Hinata spoke so good for him.

They go out. Temari wishes to spar with Sakura. She grabs her by the hair, Sakura cuts it. Temari blows S. to the cliff from where she falls, but she uses her chakra to take a hold and save herself. By the time she is up again, Temari is gone, Hinata has run to Tsunade and she loses consciousness due to chakra deprivation. Usually this wouldn't happen but she has only a little chakra reserve at this point of time (not even a genin).

She is found by Kakashi who guesses where she comes from and takes her to Tsunade's. When she awakes, it is thanks to Chiyo's medicine. Chiyo tells her some wise words about Teari and herself. WHen she is better Tsunade takes some tests, realizes her perfect chakra control, congratulates her on her excellent chakra control and tells her that she is to be her new apprentice.

When she is better, Sakura encounters Kakashi who inspires her and she vows to one day become his equal and friend. He is the only person who has ignited a spark of curiosity in her. She sees his photo in a newspaper and takes it with her.

They start really rough training and around that time, Temari says that she will personally tutor Hinata, making them rivals at the upcoming chuunin exams.

Sakura wins but Hinata is no longer her friend. Around that time Sasuke escapes to search for vengeance and Naruto goes with Jiraiya because he wants to bring back the boy who is like a brother to him.

She starts going on all kind of missions a kunoichi would go, Tsunade is proud of her. Sakura is enrolled to become a jounin by Tsunade and she hesitatingly agrees.

After a serious battle with Temari during the Jounin examinations (unknowingly to her, Kakashi is the examinator), and a few missions of the kind, she decides she wants to join ANBU. Kakashi, ANBU captain, volunteers to train her. From the prey, she has become the predator. After Tsunade informs her that Sound, the missing nin who had destroyed her village are her next mission, she, partnered with Kakashi, goes. She avenges them all but does not feel satisfied and only cries in Kakashi's arms. He tries to kiss her. She rejects him. He kisses her again. They become lovers.

After Tsunade receives ill news concerning Naruto, she hurriedly sends Sakura and Kakashi to save him from those who have captured him.

During the battle, Kakashi is badly hurt. Naruto is saved and returns to become a Hokage. Sakura thinks about destiny, Tsunade, Temari, in the hospital. Kakashi awakes and she expresses her love for him.


End file.
